Fifteen people have died in a leak of liquid ammonia at a refrigeration unit of a plant in Shanghai, according to state media.

The one-sentence report from the official Xinhua News Agency did not give any other details.

Industrial accidents are common in China due to lax safety and building standards.

The Shanghai government Information Office said the accident happened at a plant in the Baoshan district of the east coast city, and that six of the injured were in serious condition.

The Xinhua News Agency identified the plant as Weng's Cold Storage Industrial Company.

The Information Office said rescue work at the plant was over. The cause of the leak was not known.

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